City applies for grants, approves police officer for high school

The Lincoln City Council unanimously approved a contract Tuesday with the Western Placer Unified School District to provide a school-resources police officer at the school district’s expense.
The school board voted June 2 to fund a school resources officer and Tuesday’s vote by the City Council finalized the partnership.
“We have a great relationship with Western Placer Unified School District and a well-established youth services officer program,” said Lincoln Police Chief Brian Vizzusi.
While there has been an officer working with the two middle schools, Twelve Bridges and Glen Edwards; the high school has not recently had one.
The program with the middle schools has been successful, according to Vizzusi, who said juvenile crime dropped 10 percent, and graffiti dropped 37 percent since the department “started focusing on the middle schools.”
Vizzusi was optimistic that the officer working with the high school will have positive effects as well.
The council also approved a 30-day trial program at no cost to the city of Lincoln in which the city of Rocklin will provide animal control services to Lincoln.
Currently, Lincoln contracts with Placer County Animal Services, and Vizzusi said that a successful partnership with Rocklin could reduce costs. At the end of the 30-day trial period, both cities would be able to evaluate services and costs, then negotiate a contract, Vizzusi said.
“This is a really good way to start looking at that regional model of starting to provide services in limited ways,” said Mayor Spencer Short.
Regionalizing some key public services – including the fire department and the dispatch center – was one of the ideas recently generated by the Citizens Advisory Financial Task Force as a way for the city to save money without cutting services.
The City Council also approved two grant applications, one for the police department and another for community development. The community development grant would mean $35,000 to put toward downtown revitalization, according to the agenda packet.
The police department’s grant of $100,000 would be used to fund an existing police officer’s salary at $85,000 per year with the remaining $15,000 going toward vehicle outfitting, Vizzusi said.
Brandon Darnell can be reached by e-mail at brandond@goldcountrymedia.com.